Yet another inside source within the gaming industry is cryptically claiming that the Wii U’s launch price is going to be far, far less than we’re all expecting. File this one in the “It Damn Well Better” category.

MCV UK spoke with an inside source—a senior Wii U publisher, no less—about the upcoming console’s mysterious price point, which tends to vary greatly depending on who you listen to. According to their source, it’ll be less than 250 British Pounds, and priced cheaply enough that it’ll be the most wanted thing during the holidays:

One senior publisher confidently told MCV that the price “will definitely be less than £249”.

And retailers hope that Nintendo has learnt from the difficult 3DS launch.

The Hut Group’s Sarah Jasper added: “The software looks fantastic, but Nintendo needs to press its messaging hard to ensure the public know this isn’t just an add-on for the Wii. Some don’t realise it’s a standalone machine.

“Hopefully, lessons have been learned from 3DS and pricing sits between £200 to £250. Then we’re onto a sure success.”

Currently, Nintendo’s Wii sells brand-new for $140 in most stores. For the Wii U to undercut the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3’s $180 and $250 respective lower-tier console bundles, a good price point would probably be in that range.

Best Buy seems to think that the Wii U will push the $300 limit, while Japan’s Nikkei Inc. news group suggests it’ll be closer to 30,000 yen (roughly $375 in U.S. dollars). European retailers are guessing 250 British Pounds, which equates to about 390 bucks. Nintendo, for their part, hasn’t given any indication at where the needle will fall. And so, the wait continues.

Yet another inside source within the gaming industry is cryptically claiming that the Wii U's launch price is going to be far, far less than we're all expecting.

Yet another inside source within the gaming industry is cryptically claiming that the Wii U’s launch price is going to be far, far less than we’re all expecting. File this one in the “It Damn Well Better” category.

MCV UK spoke with an inside source—a senior Wii U publisher, no less—about the upcoming console’s mysterious price point, which tends to vary greatly depending on who you listen to. According to their source, it’ll be less than 250 British Pounds, and priced cheaply enough that it’ll be the most wanted thing during the holidays:

One senior publisher confidently told MCV that the price “will definitely be less than £249”.

And retailers hope that Nintendo has learnt from the difficult 3DS launch.

The Hut Group’s Sarah Jasper added: “The software looks fantastic, but Nintendo needs to press its messaging hard to ensure the public know this isn’t just an add-on for the Wii. Some don’t realise it’s a standalone machine.

“Hopefully, lessons have been learned from 3DS and pricing sits between £200 to £250. Then we’re onto a sure success.”

Currently, Nintendo’s Wii sells brand-new for $140 in most stores. For the Wii U to undercut the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3’s $180 and $250 respective lower-tier console bundles, a good price point would probably be in that range.

Best Buy seems to think that the Wii U will push the $300 limit, while Japan’s Nikkei Inc. news group suggests it’ll be closer to 30,000 yen (roughly $375 in U.S. dollars). European retailers are guessing 250 British Pounds, which equates to about 390 bucks. Nintendo, for their part, hasn’t given any indication at where the needle will fall. And so, the wait continues.